Sweet, Satisfying (And Healthy!) Date + Coconut Treats

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about eating healthy food is the concept of “giving up,” especially when it comes to treats. Yes, everything doused with refined sugars gets kicked out of our lives—packaged cookies, brownies, candy—pretty much the entire glass case of grab-and-go essentials at any Starbucks you visit. But I’d like to argue that we’re all wrong here. Actually, when you free yourself from refined sugar, you open the door to a delightful world filled with an array of sweetness that feels better and more satisfying, tastes more complex and varied, and pulls you off the path of addiction that refined sugar is so famous for keeping us on.

These are little balls of energy and delight that you can take to work, slide into your children’s lunch, or keep for yourself in the fridge for weeks. These nuggets aren’t the most sweet treats in my recipe files, but are dessert-like enough and will satisfy when you’re seeking both energy and a bit of sweet flavor without compromising on nutrients.

Feel free to adjust the size of the balls and the amount of cashew butter you use. I tend to make these quite small and store them in a stainless steel container in my fridge for up to 3 weeks, doling them out to my daughter when she’s in need of an afternoon treat of dinner dessert—I put them in her lunchbox, too.